Red sea lionfish
📖 Overview
Red sea lionfish (Pteropterus cinctus), first described by Rüppell, 1838 is a medium-sized fish. Adults typically reach 15.90 cm in maximum length. It inhabits marine coastal and open-ocean environments. Recorded depth range: 5 to 15 metres. It occurs in Tropical waters. It feeds on a mix of small fish and invertebrates as a mid-level predator.
🔬 Taxonomy
🐟 Physical Description
Dorsal spines (total): 12; Dorsal soft rays (total): 10 - 12; Anal spines: 3; Anal soft rays: 6 - 7. This species is distinguished from its congeners by the following set of characters: usually D XII,11 (rarely XII,10 or XII,12) and pectoral-fin rays 16 (rarely 15, 17 or 18); scale rows in longitudinal series 51-57; dorsal-fin soft rays relatively long with longest ray length 30.9-40.5 (mean 35.8) % of SL; anal-fin soft rays relatively long with longest ray length 35.8-44.8 (40.4) % of SL; pectoralfin rays relatively long, the ninth with length 75.6-113.2 (92.4) % of SL; pelvic-fin soft rays relatively long with longest ray length 48.2-71.9 (60.0) % of SL, its posterior tip reaching or extending beyond vertical through posteriormost anal-fin soft ray base when depressed; supraocular tentacle with no lateral branches; postorbital sensory canal absent or is not connected to sphenotic spine base at any life history stage. Colouration: body sides with five broad dark black bands, plus a single horizontal broad dark band on caudal peduncle, the fourth and fifth body bands relatively narrow, dorsal width 5.8-9.3 (mean 7.4) % of SL and 3.4-9.3 (7.3) % of SL, respectively; fourth additional (inserted) marking relatively broad, dorsal width 2.1-4.9 (3.6) % of SL .Cross section: compressed.
🌀 Behaviour
Behavioural data for Red sea lionfish is currently being reviewed.
🦐 Diet
🥚 Reproduction
🌍 Habitat & Distribution
Marine; reef-associated; depth range 5 - 15 m . Tropical Indian Ocean: restricted to the Red Sea.
🌿 Ecology
📐 Morphometrics
🌡️ Water Parameters & Tolerance
📊 Population Risk & Fisheries
👥 Community & Contribute
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